Drama
Paths
Adding
Drama to Your High School
Experience!
Tyler Hogan
When I was 12, my mother
asked me as we drove home
what I wanted to be when I
grew up. Without hesitation,
I replied “a starving artist!”
She gave me a rather odd look
and asked me if I realized
that would entail starvation.
“Doesn’t matter,” I said,
“not if I get to do what I
love.” It’s been a few years
since then, but I still hold
on to the importance of doing
what I love. I happen to love
the arts, and I’ve been richly
blessed to have been able
to participate in them for
as long as I can remember.
In my area there was a dearth
of theatre. There was a local
children’s theatre program,
and while we were able to
see many wonderful programs
we never had time to be in
any of their productions.
The lady who taught the drama
co-op moved away, and I was
too old to be in the kid’s
musicals at church. So I did
what any red-blooded, homeschooled
overachiever would do: I started
something myself.
That year we were blessed
to have Action Impact Missions
(AIM), a wonderful Christian
drama/discipleship group,
come tour through our area
and put on a workshop. They
were the ones who first introduced
me to mime and showed me how
to produce theatre as a ministry.
It wasn’t long afterwards
that I began a mime team at
my church. It was just three
of us for starters, and I
was only 14. We had a 3 minute
routine that we took to churches,
youth groups, and talent shows.
Within a few months we had
6 other families involved
and I was in way over my head
trying to handle rehearsals,
bookings, team Bible study,
props, costumes, etc. Fortunately,
AIM came back every year,
giving us training and even
taking some of us on their
mission trips. Those experiences
on the road were life-changing
for me and richly deepened
my relationship with Christ.
In the meantime I was learning
sign-language, playing the
clarinet with my church orchestra,
as well as singing in the
choir and youth ensemble.
My parents were amazing,
letting me grow at my own
pace, pursue my interests,
and supporting me however
they could. They gave advice
(but not too much) and stepped
in only when I really needed
it. After graduation I went
to Belhaven College in Jackson,
MS to get my B.A. in Theatre,
with an emphasis in Ministry.
During that time I was involved
in dozens of productions,
toured internationally (Italy,
Switzerland, and India), acted,
directed and generally had
way too much fun. Now I’m
making plans for graduate
school and eventually opening
a Christian performing arts
center back in my hometown.
Through my involvement in
the arts, I have learned more
than any textbooks could teach
me. Leading peers, setting
up performances and contacting
people for bookings, juggling
people’s schedules, teaching
what I’ve learned, working
with people and handling administrative
tasks were a huge part of
my education, and provided
me with very valuable skills.
Plus, I’ve been blessed to
meet hundreds of amazing individuals
the world over and to see
sights on tours through America
and beyond. In all that, I
was able to serve the Lord
through fostering evangelism
and discipleship. In high
school I discovered my passion
and my ministry.
“That’s great Tyler,” you
may say, “but I don’t have
a theatre degree, mime isn’t
really my thing and we don’t
have the funds to go tour
Italy. What can my kids actually
do?” Glad you asked. There
are many possible ways to
get your family involved in
drama. Here are seven steps
to add a little drama to your
life:
GO
SEE PLAYS
It
amazes me how many people
forget this one. Few things
can stimulate or inspire you
like watching a good performance.
Get a feel for the kinds of
plays your students might
like, that have impact, and
that coincide with your worldview.
Meet new people, go with groups,
and talk about the show afterwards.
Discuss things like: “What
was the playwright trying
to communicate?” “How were
different characters and ideas
portrayed?” “How did the stage,
acting, costumes, lights and
words all contribute to the
show?” Just like the movies,
some plays are family friendly,
but some are not, so do your
homework and make sure you
know what you’re going to
be seeing. Call ahead to find
out if the theatre offers
a free preview night, student,
family or group discounts
and if they have study guides
available for the production.
GO
AUDITION
There’s
no better way to learn about
something than by doing it.
Community and Children’s Theatres
are always looking for fresh
faces. Especially for bigger
productions, everyone who
auditions gets cast, so there’s
no need to be nervous about
an audition. Nothing builds
a healthy kind of confidence
in a child than getting an
important role, or nailing
their lines or solo. Work
on their parts with them at
home, especially if they have
much dialogue or a singing
role. Make sure your family
has enough time to commit
and that you’re close enough
to the rehearsal space or
can carpool with someone.
GO
TO CHURCH
Many
churches have drama teams
that assist in worship and
teaching. Often they serve
Sunday morning services, the
youth group or participate
in mission trips. If your
church has one of those, plug
in. There’s nothing like serving
the Lord with your skills.
Make sure you give your best
to whatever you do, and don’t
fall into the twin traps of
Christian Drama: cheesiness
and preachiness. Good church
drama programs (sadly) are
often hard to find. If there’s
nothing available where you
worship. . .
GO
START SOMETHING
Even
if it’s small and simple,
the energy you bring to something
you start yourself can make
it spread like wildfire. You
don’t have to be an expert—just
come willing to learn. The
team I started when I was
14 is still around making
disciples, building communities
and sharing the gospel. I
had no idea what I was doing,
but it met a need, and so
it grew. Be aware that sometimes
theatre can be an intense
activity, and when things
go wrong it’s easy for our
sinful natures to rear their
ugly heads. It’s important,
especially in a ministry context,
that we make participation
a positive experience and
not let pride, impatience,
or perfectionism get in the
way.
GO
WRITE A PLAY
Playwrighting
is hard work. However, whether
it’s for English class or
your drama group, there’s
something special about performing
something you wrote yourself.
It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece,
just make it something you
can be proud of. An added
bonus is that you can write
specifically for the number
of people you have, and capitalize
on certain people’s talents
and personalities.
GO
READ A BOOK
If
building a set, scrounging
for costumes, and figuring
out light cues just aren’t
for you, Reader’s Theatre
may be just what you’re looking
for. With text-inhand (no
memorization necessary), you
can easily bring your favorite
stories to life. Sit your
readers down at a table with
cards indicating the characters
that they’re reading, have
a narrator (or two, if necessary),
and let them have at it. If
you really want to get fancy:
include sound effects with
household items, or even background
music. Record it onto a CD
and have your own “Family
Radio Theatre”!
GO
HAVE COFFEE
For
a more relaxed event, try
putting on a coffeehouse.
This takes some coordination,
but they can be great fun.
You might even do it as a
fundraiser for a church project
or missionary family. Have
a sign-up for people to perform
(talent show style). Get mugs
and coffee/ tea/deserts donated.
Enlist the youth group as
waiters. Set up the sanctuary
or gym for music and drama.
Use card tables with tablecloths
and simple centerpieces. Then
get the word out! It takes
a lot of people and hard work,
but the rewards can be wonderful.
Our church has done this many
times and it has always been
a great success.
Drama is an amazing thing.
God uses it over and over
again in scripture, even giving
the prophet Ezekiel a props
list, script, set design and
stage directions! (Ezk. 4)
It can send messages, build
communities, and even draw
people toward God. The whole
family, or the whole church,
can be a part of it. It integrates
with History, Literature,
and Art studies beautifully.
It’s fun! It is enriched my
life tremendously (I even
met my fiancee in a mime class!)
and I’m sure it can enrich
your family’s too.
Tyler Hogan is a homeschool
graduate and a senior Theatre
Ministries major at Belhaven
College. When he’s not in
rehearsal or with his fiancee,
Helen, you’ll find him with
a good book in one hand and
a Chai Tea in the other. Tyler
works for Bright Ideas Press
from his home in Dover, Delaware.
